Tim Hortons: The Best Coffee that You’ve Never Heard Of
By C.M. Paulson

Tim Hortons … it may be the best coffee that you’ve never heard of if you haven’t spent any significant time in Canada or if you’re not lucky enough to live in one of the few American cities such as Buffalo, Columbus, or Providence that have landed one of these stores. Tim Hortons isn’t just coffee, though, it’s a way of life in Canada. Tim Hortons stores are found on what seems to be every street corner in Canada, providing Canadians with not only a much-needed caffeine jolt, but a gathering place that allows people to come in and relax during the cold winters.

I write this as an American who lived in Canada for several years. I had seen the Tim Hortons ads on hockey rinks when NHL games were played in Canada, but I didn’t know who Tim Horton was (a beloved hockey player who started this business) and had no appreciation at all for the institution lovingly called “Timmies” in Canada. On my first visit to Tim Hortons, I had no idea what to order, so I decided to follow my tour guide and have a large “double double.” Who could have known that I would become addicted to this treat – Tim Hortons double cream, double sugar coffee. It is like nothing served at Starbucks in its simplicity and smoothness. Some Canadians have told me that it’s the cream that makes Tim Hortons’ coffee so special. Whatever it is, once you have one, you can’t go back. The same can be said for Tim Hortons donuts (the Timbits donut holes are a mainstay) and bagels. The prices are so reasonable that some people visit the stores several times a day to refuel.

I’m embarrassed to say that I so love Tim Hortons’ coffee that I look into what it would take to buy a franchise so that I could have them in my part of America. Besides not having the financial resources to make it happen, I wouldn’t have the time, as Tim Hortons’ franchise owners must complete extensive training and be committed to running this 24 hour a day, 7 day a week business. I should have figured that the standards would be rigorous because Tim Hortons prides itself on quality and the coffee tastes the same no matter what location that you visit. I hope that some kind soul will bring Tim Hortons to all parts of the U.S. soon though, as I miss the best coffee that I can’t find in America.